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Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STRIET 

WEBSTER, NY.  M5B0 

(716)  872-4503 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions 


Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


1980 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


□ 


D 


D 


D 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagde 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pellicul^e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  inl(  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleuo  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
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Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

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distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

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Additional  comments:/ 
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D 


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Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu^  ci-dessous. 


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etc.,  ont  6t6  filmdes  d  nouveau  de  fagon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

v/ 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  the  Public 
Archives  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
g4n6rositA  de: 

La  bibliothdque  des  Archives 
publiques  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
bediming  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illu'^trated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6ti  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  f»t 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimis  sont  film6s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmis  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^>  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planche*,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  d  das  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  fttre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film6  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mithode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

>'().  10. 


U.  S.  HYDH()(illAI*HlC  OFFKE-Bl  KLM"  OF  NAV1(;ATI0N. 


Will,  the  i't'ittl>H't'*'>'f'*  "'' *^'*' 

(oiiiiiuHloif  IMI.Wvmaii.r.S.N. 

||y,|,.oi;rii|ilii*r 

ll'iishitujliin.l/l'- 


STEAM-LANES  ACROSS  THE  ATLANTIC. 


WASHlNGTOls: 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 

1873. 


21 


0? 


k 


Umtki)  Static  IIvuuograi'iiic  Oiiice. 

M'a^hhiotoH,  I).  C,  Octohcr  4,  187'J. 
It  soonis  appropi  into  at  the  present  time,  when  the  ocean- 
steamers  between  the  United  States  anil  Europe  arc  so 
numerous  and  still  on  the  increase,  to  republish  a  paper  on 
the  "Steam-Lanes  across  the  Atlantic,"  written  in  1855  by 
U.  ¥.  Maury,  LL.  D.,  &c.,  then  a  lieutenant  in  the  United 
States  Navy.  The  adoption  of  these  or  some  similar  pre- 
scribed routes  for  the  passages  to  and  from  Europe  woul.l 
most  assuredly  give  greater  security  to  life  and  property 
and  reduce  the  dangers  of  this  navigation  to  those  which 
may  be  encountered  on  less  frecpiented  routes. 

K.  11.  W. 


STK.WIi.ANES  ACUOSS  TIIK  ATl.ANTH  . 


Tlir  (lisiistiT  wliicli  belVll  llu'  lliiitJ'd  Slates  mail-stoaiiU'i 
Ar(;tic  on  hvv  pa.s.sayo  IVoin  Liverpool  to  New  York,  in  tiio 
mouth  oi'  October,  l.S.Tt,  in  consiMinencc  of  her  <'()n>in;;-  in 
collision  with  the  rien«'h  .steamer  N'esta,  in  a  thick  lo;;, 
forty  or  tifty  miles  to  the  eastward  of  Capo  IJace,  first 
ui>palle<l  tlu!  public  mind  with  its  enormity  and  then 
aroused  it.  ^len  inquired  of  each  other  if  science  or  in^^c 
unity  couhl  notdeviso  means  or  invent  i)lans  for  i>reventin;; 
the  rocurreuce  of  Himilur  .accidents,  or,  in  (!asc  of  their  re 
eurronce,  of  providin<»"  against  the  terrible  loss  of  life  wliicli 
atteiuh'il  the  founderingof  that  noble  ship.  Of  passcn;::ers 
ami  crew — nu-n,  women,  and  cliihlren — then^  ]>erisIuMl,  t»ti 
that  occasion,  with  her,  t(»  the  number  of  about  three  hun 
dred,  owinjf,  in  a  great  meastire,  to  improper  management 
and  to  the  (histardly  comluct  of  a  part  of  the  otiicers  and 
crew. 

Among  tiie  many  benevolent  persons  who  favored  tin- 
public  with  tlie  results  of  their  thoughts  upon  the  subject, 
some  suggested  measures  renu'dial  and  .some  ])rev«Mitivc. 
Lifeboats  and  life-pro.servers,  water-tight  compartments, 
station-bills  for  i)as.sengers  and  crew  to  "  save  shij*  *' wert 
anH)ng  the  remedial  plans,  and  among  tlmse  for  prevention 
were  log-signals,  true  compasses,  rate  of  sailing,  lookoul. 
ami  lanes,  or  a  double  track  lor  the  steamers  cro.ssing  tlii> 
part  of  the  Atlantic,  viz,  a  lane  for  them  to  go  in  and 
an«>thei'  for  them  to  conu^  in.  All  or  any  of  the.se  plair-^ 
would,  if  adopted,  tend  njore  or  less  to  diminish  or  mitigate 
the  dangers  of  steam-navigation  and  the  risk  of  life  that 
passengers  incur  at  sea;  but  tho.se  plans  which  tend  to 
pn-irnt  accident,  rather  than  tho.se  that  look  to  atlording 
relief  after  the  occurrence  of  accident,  seemed  to  come 
within  tht^  .scope  ami  objects  of  this  work ;  and  among  these 
the  lam.\s  were  most  inviting.  It  will  be  found  that,  b\  es 
tablishing  :i  lane  or  strip  of  ocrean  for  the  >tean\ers  to  go  in 


6 


STKAM  LANEM  ACROSS  TIIH   ATLANTIC 


iiii«l  aiiotliiT  for  tliciii  to  coinn  in,  tliu  liahility  to  daiipM' 
Ironi  collision   lu'twccii  Htt'uincr  iiiul  sU'auicr,  as  well   as 
l>etween  HtfainoiH  and  sjiiling  vessels,  will  not  only  be  les- 
sened, bnt  a  new  resource  upon  tlie  hi^lt  seas  will,  in  nuiny 
eas<'s  of  wreck  and  disaster,  bo  allbrded  to  those  in  distress. 
IJy  exaniininjj  JMato  V  carefully,  any  one  may  satisfy 
liiniHclf  as  to  the  extent  to  which  the  adoption  of  thesi;  lanes 
will  lesson  the  liabilities,  whi«!h  are  now  very  ;;reat,  to  col- 
lision in  foj^  between  steamers  and  sailers.    The  curves  on 
that' plate  show  that  lbj;s  and  calms  are,  along  these  lanes 
at  least,  almost  correlative  terms ;  that  is,  they  often  occiu" 
f<>gether,  and  in  ])roportion  as  they  do  occur  together  just 
in  that  prop(ution  accidents  from  collision  between  Hdiling- 
vessels  are  lessened,  for  vessels  moved  by  canvas  cannot 
well  run  foul  of  each  other  in  a  calm,  and  in  calms,  with 
thick  fogs,  is  jtrecisely  the  time  w  hen  such  vessels  an?  in  the 
greatest  danger  of  being  run  into  by  a  steamer,  for,  being 
helpless  then,  they  cannot  get  out  of  the  way ;  consopu'Utly, 
if  they  will  agree  to  avoid,  as  much  as  jjossible,  tin'  sti'am 
lanes  as  tlu'y  ar«  marked  on  the  chart,  by  making  it  a  rule 
never  to  attempt  to  beat  along  in  them,  but  to  cross  them 
quickly,  wluMi  they  have  to  cross  them,  and  to  edge  along 
out  of  them  when,  being  in  them,  tln^  wind  changes  and 
comes  out  fair — if  those  i)ublicspirited  shipmasters  who 
are  cooperating  with  me  will,  in  this  way,  lend  a  hand,  by 
giving  the  force  of  their  example  and  precept,  to  dedicate 
to  the  use  of  the  steam-navigation   between   Europe  and 
Aujerica  tlu'  very  narrow  sli])  of  ocean  included  within  these 
lanes,  they  will  do  much,  in  addition  to  what  they  have 
already  done,  toward  injproving  navigation  and  lessening 
the  dangers  of  the  sea.     On  the  other  hand,  the  captain  of 
i'very  steauu'r  should  as  scrupulously  aim  to  keep  within 
the  lanes,  and  never  to  sutler  his  vessel  to  get  out  of  them, 
excei)t  sh(i  be  compelled  to  turn  aside  on  account  of  ice 
or  gales  of  wind,  or  uidess  she  get  out  of  them  for  want  of 
observations  after  a  succession  of  cloudy  days. 

1  earnestly  ai)peal  to  the  tleets  of  observers,  to  whom  I 
owe  so  much,  and  to  whose  enlightened  zeal  and  generous 
labors  for  the  advancement  of  science  and  the  improvement 
of  navigation  this  work  bears  witness,  to  second  this  recom- 
mendation and  make  it  a  rule  to  observe  the  lanes.  This 
appeal  is  made  especially  to  those  who  are  in  the  European 


m 


KTKAM  LANKM  ArUdSS  THE  ATLANTIC. 


4 


trado.  Tlaiy  will  reiulcr  u  servico  to  l)o  most  gratefully 
acknowledged  if  they  will  always,  wluiiiever  they  enter  the 
lanes,  either  make  hasto  across  them  or  run  oblitiuely  out 
of  them,  according  as  their  course  may  lie  or  as  the  winds 
may  allow;  antl,  when  they  do  thid  it  ne<;essary  to  enter 
one  of  these  lanes,  they  will  please  note  the  fact  in  their 
abstract-log  kei)t  for  this  ollice,  and  state  also  the  time  and 
distan<ro  sailed  in  each  lane,  with  such  remarks  as  <-ircum- 
stances  may  suggest. 

The  more  sailing-vessels  will  agree  to  keep  out  of  the 
lanes  the  more  will  it  concern  the  steamers  to  keep  in  them, 
and  the  greater  becomes  the  danger  at  night,  or  in  a  fog,  to 
the  hapless  sailing-vessel  that  shall  needlessly  thrust  her- 
self into  one  of  thein.  Practically,  their  adoption  will  be 
attended  on  one  hand  with  so  little  inconvenience  or  loss  (»f 
time  4'ither  to  sailers  or  steamers,  while,  on  the  other,  it 
will  bo  attended  with  so  many  advantages  and  .so  much 
less  risk  to  vessels,  crews,  and  jiassengers,  that  I  do  not 
thiidv  it  necessary  to  add  another  word  to  induce  all,  I  hope, 
who  follow  the  sea,  but  certainly,  and  at  Irasf,  those  who  are 
co-operating  with  me,  t(>  favor  thi^  lanes  and  do  all  that  is 
proper  to  establish  them. 

1  therefore  content  myself  with  laying  befunc  them,  Ibi 
their  information,  the  following  correspondence,  and  to  say 
that  the  recommendaticm  therein  contained  has  met  with 
favor  from  the  right  <piartcr,both  in  IJoston  and  New  York, 
and  with  every  sea-captain  with  whom  1  have  had  an  op 
[•ortunity  of  con;^ulting. 


Ftoni ^fl■Nsrs.  John  S.  Sleeper,  C.  W.  Cariieriijht, ./.  InyersoU 
Jion-diteh,  7i*.  Ji.  Forbes,  and  others,  umlericriters,  shijhoirn- 
ers,  awl  nierrhants  of  Boston. 

.Januauv  8,  IS.M. 
M  Snt:    In  connection  with  the  discussion  respecting  the 

dangers  of  crossing  the  Atlantic  and  the  modes  of  diminish- 
ing them,  we  have  observed  a  suggestion  contained  in  your 
letter  to  Walter  11.  .lones,  esq.,  of  New  York,  proposing  one 
j  route  for  steamers  to  go  and  anotlier  for  them  to  come,  of 
which  idea  you  cite  our  fellow-citizen  !{.  JJ.  Forbes,  escj.,  as 
the  original  author. 


8  STKAMLANKS  ACROSS  TIIK   ATLANIIC 

IN'iiiiit  MS  to  hope  that  this  iiroject  may  ren'ive  your  fiii- 
tlier  attention,  ami  tliat  you  Avill  prepare  a  ehart,  exhibit- 
in  f?  the  routes  suggested,  so  hiid  otl'  as  may,  in  your  judg- 
ment, best  answer  the  puri>osc  in  view,  of  lessening  th»' 
liability  oC  collision  without  materiiilly  lengthening  the 
passage. 

Ijy  thus  carrying  out  a  pioiwsition  which  strongly  reconi 
mends  itself  to   many,  you   will   add   another    important 
service  to  the  many  for  which  we  would  express  our  thanks. 

I.icut.  M.  V.  Mai  uv, 

Xotiinwl  Ohsrrnifori/.  Wnshiiigton. 

/'ipljl  to  aluH-ii  (lat(')l  Frhrvar}/  J.*),  iS.Vt. 

(ir.NTi,i:MKN:  1  dulv  received  vour  communication  of  the 
Sth  ultimo,  rc(|uesting  me  to  carry  out  the  proposition  con- 
tained in  my  letter  of  the  8th  of  November  last,  to  NN'alter 
II.  clones,  es(i.,  of  New  York,  by  projecting  the  two  steam- 
lanes  across  the  Atlantic,  viz,  one  for  the  steamers  to  go 
in  and  the  other  for  them  to  come  in. 

1  at  once  addressed  myself  to  the  task,  and  after  a  care- 
ful examination  of  the  somewhat  ample  materials  att'orded 
l>y  thisolVice,  1  have  at  length  the  i>leasur<'  to  submit  charts 
with  the  lanes  projected  on  them,  together  with  other  mat- 
ter bearing  upon  the  subject. 

I  have  examined  a  nuuiber  of  the  logs  both  of  the  C\»l- 
lins  and  the  Cunard  lines.  Tiie  part  of  the  ocean  used  l>y 
them  in  their  voyage  to  and  fro,  between  the  meridians  of 
ir>'  and  <».")"  west,  is,  for  the  American,  .'500  miles  broad,  and 
for  the  I'Jiglish,  ITtO  miles  broad.  The  American  roadway 
oveilajts  and  includes  the  Ijiglish;  consequently  there  is 
a  breadtli  of  ocean  ."500  miU's  wide,  in  any  part  of  which  a 
sailing-vess»'l.  by  night  or  in  the  fo'g,  is  now  liable  to  be 
brought  into  collision  with  the  steamers. 

Now,  snppos<'  we  lake  this  sanu'  breadth  of  ocean  and 
lay  ott  a  lane,  twenty  or  twenty  live  miles  broad,  lu'ar  its 
northern  border,  and  another,  lifteen  or  twenty  miles  l)road. 
near  its  southern  border,  and  recommend  thesteanu'rs,  when 
coming  westwardly,  to  use  tln'  foruu'r,  and,  when  going  east- 
wardly,  to  take  the  latter:  would  not  the  adoi>tion  of  the 
lecommendation  contribute  to  llie  safety  both  of  steam  and 
sailing  vessels,  of  passengers  an<l  crews  .'     1  think  s<». 

1   do  not  in<-;ni   to  eieate  the  iiupre<>i(U(  by   :ni\tliiiig   I 


STKAM  LANES    ATRoSS   'IHK    All. ANTIC 


9 


our  fur- 
exhibit- 
ir  judg- 
ing tliO 
ing  tlie 


rocoiji- 
|)»)rtant 
thanks. 


»n  of  the 
ion  con 
I  NN'alUT 
>  steam - 
rs  to  go 

r  a  i'aif 
atiordt'd 
it  charts 
lier  mat 

the  Col 
used  Itv 
idians  of 
Dad,  and 
roadway 
there  is 
whidi  ;( 
h'  to  l»t' 

can  and 
nciir  its 
s  broad. 
rs,  when 
ingeast 
n  of  the 
'am  and 

•tldiig  I 


say  or  do,  that  the  adoption  of  these  hiiu-s  would  <l(t  air/iii 
with  collisions,  or  (;all  tor  h'ss  vigilance,  or  reheve  in  any 
maniu'r  the  slii]»mastcr  from  his  obligations  to  look  closely 
to  the  navigation  of  his  vessel,  to  be  watchful,  i>ru«lent. 
cautious,  and  careful.  ( )n  the  (H)ntrary,  he  must  never  relax 
his  attention  t»>  the  seaman's  three  L's  nor  slight  his  water 
thermometer.  The  adoption  of  the  lanes  will  simply  lessen 
the  nihilities,  by  dinninshing  the  chances  of  collision,  and 
to  that  extent  make  the  navigation  of  the  Atlantic  less  dan 
gerous.  iSo  far  from  relaxing  attention  to  the  log,  lead,  and 
look-out,  these  lanes  call  for  increased  diligence  on  the  imi  t 
of  the  master,  ibr  that  breatltli  only  is  given  to  them  which 
will  Just  make  them  broad  enough  to  cover  the  probable 
errors  in  latitude  of  a  good,  careful  navigator,  after  he  has 
l»cen  two  or  three  days  without  an  observation.  A  narrower 
lane  would  be  forbidding,  from  the  difllculties  of  keeping 
in  it  ;  a  broader  lane  would  be  ndschievous  by  relaxing  its 
calls  upon  the  attention  of  the  nnister  to  keep  his  steamer 
in  it,  and  by  occupying  so  much  of  the  ocean  that  sailing 
vessels  would  not  so  willingly,  because  they  could  not  so  con 
venicMtly,  give  it  u|)  to  the  steamers. 

If  these  lanes  be  a<lopted  by  the  steamship  coin|)anies. 
aiul  engraved  on  the  general  charts  of  the  Atlantic  that  are 
used  by  the  vessels  of  the  dilferent  nations,  and  marked  a> 
they  are  on  the  Track  Charts,  series  A,  of  the  Xorth  Atlan- 
tic, and  as  they  are  on  I'lates  II  and  III,  1  have  very  little 
<loubt  that  sailing-vessels  would,  in  the  process  of  time, 
make  it  a  rule  to  edge  off  from  the  lanes,  especially  at  night 
and  in  thick  weather.  In  the  tirst  i>lace,  the;  lanes  an;  so 
narrow  that  if  the  sailing-vessel  has  to  cross  them,  as.  in 
head-winds  und  in  the  ]>rogrcss  of  her  voyage,  siie  not  un 
fie<pu'ntly  will,  she  will  be  but  a  little  while  in  them,  and 
her  master  will  then  know  on  which  side  to  wat<'h  for  the 
danger,  in  the  next  place,  if  his  <!ourse  lie  along  the  lane 
and  the  winds  be  fair,  he  will,  as  night  comes  on  or  as  tin- 
weather  grows  thick,  begin  to  think  of  the  steamers  and 
collision  and  his  own  responsibilities,  and  then  feel  nnn-h 
more  condbrtable  by  edging  oil  to  one  side  and  leaving  the 
steam  track  clear. 

The  average  rout*'  of  the  steameis  coming,  jis  detei 
mined  by  the  abstract  logs  on  iile  here,  crosses  tlu'  nu'riil 
ians  ^)\'    Id'.   t."r.  ;unl   .">(>''    iVoni    i'orrv  lix'c  t<>   si\tv   miles 


10 


STEAM-LANES  ACROSS  THE  ATLANTIC. 


lii 

'i 


1    I 


nortli  of  the  lane  to  America,  and  joins  it  ou  the  meridian 
of  55°,  and  then  runs  nearly  along  with  it  to  Sandy  Hook. 

The  lane  coming  is,  therefore,  a  better  road  than  the 
average  route  at  present  used,  and  for  these  reasons,  viz : 
It  is  thirty  miles  shorter;  it  runs  so  far  south  of  Cape  Kace 
and  the  Virgin  Kocks  that  no  time  need  ever  be  lost  in 
turning  aside,  when  fogs  prevail,  to  avoid  these  dangers, 
for  it  passes  one  hundred  miles  south  of  Cape  Kace. 

This  statenuMit,  without  any  explanation,  might  appear 
p.aradoxical,  for  the  nearer  to  Cape  liace  the  shorter  the 
distance ;  yet,  practically,  it  has  not  proved  so,  because 
vessels,  especially  in  a  fog,  as  they  near  this  cape  have 
fre(piently  to  run  one,  two,  three,  or  more  hours  to  the 
southward  to  be  sure  of  clearing  it.  When  they  are  so 
running  they  are  not  making  much  hea<lway  toward  their 
l)ort.  So,  on  the  long  run,  the  attempt  to  shave  Cape  llace 
makes  the  average  distance  practically  greater  than  it  is 
by  the  lane.  Indeed  it  is  greater  than  the  statement  above 
implies,  for  the  distance  which  I  have  taken  as  the  average 
b3- present  routes  is  measured  by  straight  lines  from  posi. 
tion  to  position,  at  noon. 

Congress  has  given  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  authority 
to  employ  three  vessels  in  assisting  me  in  my  researches, 
by  testing  new  routes  and  perfecting  discoveries.  They 
can  be  very  usefully  employed  Just  at  this  time.  Perhaps 
he  may  find  it  convenient  in  the  spring  to  detail  one  or  two 
of  them  for  this  service.  If  so,  I  shall  urge  upon  his  atten- 
tion the  importance  of  completing  the  deep-sea  soundings 
across  this  part  of  the  Atlantic,  and  also  ask  for  an  exam- 
ination of  the  A'irgin  Kocks,  with  the  view  of  i)lanting  on 
them,  or  Just  under  their  lee,  a  bell-buoy.  In  that  case, 
this  lane  might  be  lifted  up  so  as  to  shorten  the  distance 
and  save  time  by  bringing  this  buoy  on  the  edge  of  it,  and 
thus  luovide  a  laudumrk  that  would  be  very  useful  in  all 
weather  and  to  all  classes  of  vessels. 

The  shortest  distance  possible  for  a  steamer  between 
Liveri)ool  and  Sandy  Ilook  is  3,000  miles ;  the  average  dis- 
tance actually  accomplished  is  3,009  miles,  and  the  distance 
by  the  middle  of  the  lane  coming  is  3,038.  There  is  also 
another  recommendation  in  favor  of  this  lane  to  the  west, 
which  is  this :  It  lies  along  the  northern  edge  of  the  Gulf 
Stream,  where  there  is  an  eddy  setting  westward  often  at 


in 


S'l'EAMLANES   ACROSS   THE   ATLANTIC. 


11 


meridian 

(ly  Hook. 

than  the 
sons,  viz : 

ape  Race 

je  lost  in 
dangers, 

e. 

it  appear 
lorter  tlie 
because 
•ape  have 
irs  to  the 
ey  nre  so 
kard  their 
yape  llace 
than  it  is 
ent  above 
le  average 
I'roin  posi. 

authority 

■esearehes, 

ies.    Tliey 

Perhaps 

one  or  two 

I  his  atten- 

soundings 

r  an  exain- 

hmting  on 

that  case, 

le  distance 

I  of  it,  and 

eful  in  all 

r  between 
v'erage  dis- 
le  distance 
LH'e  is  also 
)  the  west, 
if  the  Gulf 
d  often  at 


the  rate  of  a  knot  an  hour.  On  the  average,  I  assume  that 
the  set  of  this  eddy  will  amount  to  twelve  miles  a  day  for 
three  days  and  a  half,  or,  say,  forty  miles.  This  makes  the 
•Ustance  by  the  lane  coming  practically  about  2,998  miles; 
or,  allowing  twenty  miles  for  dt'toHr,  Ave  rdiall  have  3,018 
miles,  which  will  shorten  the  average  time  of  the  passage 
this  way  three  or  four  hours,  Avith  less  risk  of  collision  and 
less  danger  from  Cai»e  llace  by  the  way. 

It  may  be  urged  against  this  lane  that  it  cannot  always 
be  followed  on  account  of  the  ice,  and  that,  in.csinuch  as  it 
crosses  the  Grand  Banks,  the  steamers  that  i)ly  in  it  may 
now  and  then  run  down  a  fishing- vessel.  The  reply  is  that, 
as  far  as  the  lishermen  are  concerned,  they  are  now  liable 
to  be  run  down  by  the  steamers  both  going  and  coming, 
whereas,  with  the  lane,  that  liability  is  incident  to  the 
steamers  alone  that  are  westwardly  bound,  and  the  IIsImt- 
nien  will  have  the  advantage  of  knowing  pretty  nearly  where 
the  steamer  will  pass  and  which  way  she  will  be  coming. 
And  as  for  its  being  obstructed  by  ice,  so  as  to  compel  the 
steamers,  as  it  occasionally  will,  esi»ecially  in  ^lay  or  .lune, 
to  turn  out  of  it  now  and  then,  the  Erie  Canal,  of  New  York, 
is  obstructed  by  ice  the  whole  of  every  winter,  but  that 
does  not  prove  it  to  be  of  no  value;  it  only  shows  that  it, 
like  this  lane,  would  be  of  nu)re  value  to  commerce  if  it  were 
never  obstructed  by  ice  or  anything  at  all. 

Vou  will  observe,  by  looking  at  this  lane  ui)on  Plates  II 
and  111,  that  the  Grand  Banks  atVord  a  i>retty  good  land- 
mark, which  can  be  used  in  the  thickest  weatlu-r.  Generidly, 
the  water-thernutmeter  is  found  to  fall  as  soon  as  you  near 
these  Banks;  it  is  generally  a  good  landmark  for  them. 
The  eastern  edge  runs  noith  and  south,  and,  therefore, 
afl'ords  an  excellent  correction  for  longitude.  Having  ascer- 
tained, by  the  lead,  when  the  vessel  first  strikes  this  edge 
then  noting  the  soundings  and  the  distance  run  before  clear- 
ing the  Grand  Banks,  the  latitude  will  also  be  known  with 
accuracy  sullicient  to  enable  the  navigator  to  decide  whether 
he  be  in  oi'  out  of  the  lane,  and,  if  out,  on  which  side.  The 
lane  crosses  the  Banks  near  their  greatest  width,  L*7.">  miles. 
If  a  steamer  be  crossing  then;  in  a  fog,  and  in  doubt  as  to 
her  position,  she  can  Judge,  by  their  breadth  and  the  sound- 
ings, jtretty  nearly  as  to  latitude.  Por  instance,  if  the 
breadth  of  the  Banks,  when  crossed,  be  less  than  L'7."»  miles. 


12 


STEAM-LANKS   ACIIDSS   TIIK   ATLANTU". 


!( 


((> 


W 


but  the  .souii<lin;i,s  not  less  thini  roily  I'atlionis,  tlie  vesstvi 
has  crossed  the  IJank  to  the  north  of  tlio  hme;  but  if  she 
(ind  lierself  in  less  than  thirty  fiithoms,  then  she  has  erossed 
to  the  south  of  it.  Should  she,  liowever,  iind  lierself  in 
water  that  snddeidy  shoals  to  less  than  twenty  fathon)> 
and  as  snddeidy  deepens  a<;ain,  then  she  is  near  the  Virgin 
Ifoeks,  or  the  roek  and  Nine-fathom  IJank  to  tlu'  east  of 
them,  and  her  ]»osition  is  immediately  known. 

It  should  be  reoolleeted,  however,  that  these  lanes  an- 
not  channel-ways  in  whieh  steamers  nnist  keep  or  l)e  lost, 
dales  of  wind,  ice,  ami  other  things  will  iu)w  and  then 
force  a  steamer  out  of  them,  and  in  such  cases  she  will  act 
ually  be  where  she  is  now,  for  she  will  then  be  in  no  more 
danj^er  than  she  is  now;  oidy  when  she  j;'ets  back  into  tin- 
lane  she  will  be  in  less. 

Von  will  doubtless  observe  the  advanta<;eous  posititui 
of  the  fork  to  JIalifax  in  the  lane  from  JMiroi»e.  .Vs  this 
laiu'  approaches  Newl'oundland,  it  edtjes  olVto  the  south,  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  render  it  impossible  for  a  vessel  .so  to 
miss  .ler  way  as  to  jjet  ashore.  Supjiose  a  steamer  attempt 
inji'  this  lane  to  be,  when  she  lU'ars  the  (Jrand  JJanks,  100 
miles  out  in  ]K)sition.  (a  nn)st  extravagant  case,)  and  that 
she  be  out  on  the  Newlbundland  side,  she  would,  if  behav 
ing  proi)erly,  be  steering  i)arallel  with  the  lane,  ami  if 
bound  to  Xew  York  sh(>  would  go  clear  of  C'ai)e  Race.  Uut 
she  might  be  bound  for  Halifax,  ami  by  steering  we.st  too 
soon  might  rusi  n]nm  the  laml ;  but  recollect  that  the  land 
to  Halifax  turns  otf  on  soundinj/s,  aiid  a  west  course  from 
where  the  lane  from  England  strikes  soundings  on  the 
(irand  IJanks  will  take  you  clear  of  everything.  So,  with 
out  the  nmst  gross  neglect  of  the  lead  and  all  the  prop«'r 
]necaulions,  which  it  is  the  duty  of  the  shii)master  to  take, 
it  would  seem  impossible  for  him  to  run  his  steamer  into 
danger  here. 

In  the  longitude  of  liu'  (Irand  iJaiiks,  the  lane  to  lluropc 
is  L'OO  miles  south  of  the  laiu»  to  America.  As  a  rule,  thi> 
lane  for  the  eastern-bound  steamers  can  be  followed  always, 
admitting  that  an  exception  now  and  then  in  i>ractice  will 
nndvC  the  rule  general.  It  will  be  observed  that  this  lam' 
runs  1'].  1.")-  S.  from  Samly  Hook  to  the  nunidian  of  70", 
where  it  takes  a  coiusc!  K.  IL'-'  N.,  towanl  its  Junction  with 
the  are  of  a  great  circle,  south  of  the  (Irand  Hanks.     Though 


the 
(III 

CO 

rou 

tt> 

gen 

ex 

or 

ed( 

giP 
sai 
not 


iiat 
Hon 

Cllil 


SIKAM  I.ANKS    A<U<»SS   THE    AII.ANTK'. 


la 


tlic  vi'SS«>! 

but  if  slii' 
liii.scrossiMl 

licrsoU"  ill 
ity  i'iithoni> 

the  Virgin 
tlu'  oiist  of 

'.  lanes  art' 

or  be  lost. 

V  and   then 

he  will  at!t 

•i  in  no  mon- 

it'lv  into  tilt' 

ms   i)osition 

K\     As  this 

the  south, in 

vessel  so  to 

nor  attempt 

I  JJanks,  1(H) 

^e,)  and  that 

Id,  if  behav 

lane,  and    if 

Ka(;e.      Unt 

in^'  west  too 

hat  the  land 

course  fronj 

linys  on    the 

ji".     So,  with 

1  the  proper 

xster  to  take, 

steamer  into 

ne  to  JOurojte 
s  a  rule,  this 
:)wed  always, 
juactice  will 
liat  this  lane 
idiau  of  70", 
uncition  with 
iks.    Though 


the  tlistanee  by  this  laiu'  fiom  Sandy  Hook  to  this  Junetion 
is  a  few  miles  lon<;er  than  the  <lire(;t  line,  yet  on  aeeount 
of  the  (lulf  Strean),  it  is  /;j  (inn'  the  sliortest  distance  that  a 
steamer  can  take.  I'lom  the  Capes  «)f  Delaware  it  is  obvi- 
ously the  shortest. 

The  distance  from  Sandy  Hook  to  Liveri)ool  by  this 
lane  is  10<»  uules  gieater  than  it  is  by  the  lane  eominj;. 
iJut  the  lane  st»iny;  is  iu  the  Gulf  Stream,  which  of  itself 
w  ill  nearly,  if  not  quite,  make  up  for  this  dillerence.  The 
San  Fraucis<!0  .steamer  was  wrecked  iu  the  Oulf  Stream, 
aiul  from  tlu'  time  she  was  di.sabled  till  she  was  abandoned 
she  drifted  at  the  rate  of  two  knots  an  hour.  When  the 
(Ireat  Western  steamshii)  first  came  over  she  stemmed  the 
(lulf  Stream,  and  was  set  back  in  it  17."»  miles  during;  the 
voyage.  Xow,  from  the  Grand  Jhinks  west,  the  track  of  the 
(Jreat  Wi'stern  was  not  as  nuuih  in  the  strength  of  the  stream 
as  this  lane  is,  for  she]>assed  to  the  north  of  it.  This  trij), 
too,  was  in  Apiil,  when  the  mid<lle  of  the  stream  is  well 
south.* 

I  may  be  «'.\(!use«l  lor  nu'utioning,  in  this  connection,  an 
incident  relating  to  the  early  history  of  ocean  steam-naviga- 
tion. After  this  [>assage  of  the  (Jreat  Western,  1  wrote  a 
pajter  on  the  achievements  of  the  Xew  York  })acket  ships, 
and  pointed  out  on  a  chart  the  great-circle  route  from  New 
York  to  England,  and  commended  it  to  the  attention  of 
those  concerne<l  in  this  new  navigation.  The  i)aper,  with 
the  chart,  was  published  in  the  Southern  Literary  Messenger 
(liichmond,  Yirginia)  for  January,  1839.  The  editor  sent  a 
co]>y  to  Captain  Hoskins,  and  he  ever  afterwards  went  by  the 
route  recommended  on  that  chart.  His  competitors  stuck 
to  the  ohl  rlunnb-line  route,  and  from  that  time  Hoskins 
generally  beat  them,  this  way,  about  a  <lay:  and  here  is  the 
»'Xi)lanation :  They  were  sent  back  iu  the  Gulf  Stream  ^~^^) 
or  nu>re  miles;  he  was  sent  Ibrward  40  or  more  by  the 
eddy,  and  gained  some  ">(>  or  (»0  additional  by  the 
grear  circle,  which  made  altogether  about  one  good  day's 
sail  in  his  favor.  Tin;  great  (iircle,  or  ( 'ape  ]\'ace  route,  was 
not  generally  adopteil,  however,  even  when  he  left  tlu'  line; 

"  The  tliroad  or  axis  of  tlu'  (JiilC  .Strrain  moves  iijt  ami  down  in  dfcli- 
nation  as  tlic  sun  docs,  ln'in^f  fartlicst  north  in  Sc]itt'inl>fi'.  t'artlK'st 
south  in  Marcli.  Its  limits  arc  imt  accuratt'ly  dcsciilK'd  on  any  vi'ticral 
I'liart  that  1  haxf  sfcii. 


14 


STKAM  I.ANES   A<  KoSS   TIIK   ATLANTIi'. 


I, 


aiul   it  has  "boon  inisclii^'vou.s    by  tempting;   navigators  to 
shave  the  cap*'  too  closely. 

The  ciincnt  of  the  (lull'  Sticain  is  not  only  in  favor  of 
tho  lane  fioinj^',  bnt  the  gales  niv,  more  favorable  and  the 
fogs  less  frecjuent  than  they  would  be  by  a  more  northerly 
route. 

In  order  to  enable  j'ou  to  judge  knowingly  as  to  the 
relative  merits  of  these  two  lanes  in  this  respect,  I  have, 
Avith  the  hell)  of  the  most  willing,  zealous,  and  able  cori>s 
of  assistants  that  one  ever  had,  and  sueli  as  can  be  formed 
only  of  Navy  ollicers,  examined  and  discussed  abstract  logs 
containing  observations  for  no  less  than  40,(K)0  days,  on 
the  winds,  weather,  the  sea,  and  the  currents  in  the  parts 
of  the  ocean  through  which  these  lanes  j)ass.  The  result  of 
that  discussion  1  submit  herewith  for  information,  on  a 
chart  of  engraved  squares,  (Plate  V.)  The  horizontal  lines 
are  there  uuirked  as  per  cents.,  each  being  counted  as  one 
and  every  fifth  one  being  a  little  more  heavily  ruled  than 
the  rest.  The  vertical  lines,  marked  7<P,  (iri'^,  (KP,  &c.,  are 
meridians  of  longitude  between  which  the  lanes  pass. 
JJetween  each  two  of  these  meridians  are  twelve  columns 
for  the  twelve  months,  beginning  always  with  December, 
the  first  winter  month.  Thus,  t  cc  navigator  wishes  to  see 
what  is  the  most  foggy  mouth  m  the  lane  to  America  be- 
tween the  meridians  of  70^  and  73^.  lie  finds  on  the  plate 
the  fog-curve  for  that  lane,  and  liis  eye  is  immediately 
attracted  to  the  remarkable  peak  formed  by  this  curve,  in 
the  July  column  between  these  meridians,  the  meaning  of 
which  is  that,  according  to  the  averages  derived  from  these 
4<),000  days,  the  probabilities  are  that,  if  he  were  to  pass 
along  this  i)art  of  that  lane  one  hundred  times  in  the  month 
of  July,  but  in  different  years,  he  would  find  it  foggy  twenty- 
eight  times,  or,  in  other  words,  twenty-eight  per  cent,  of 
the  days  in  July  are  foggy  along  that  part  of  the  lane. 
Casting  his  eye  farther  along,  he  will  see  that  fogs,  at  certain 
seasons  of  the  year,  are  astonishingly  prevalent  from  longi 
tude  .VP  to  longitude  VP,  (on  the  Grand  Banks,)  and  when 
he  conu's  to  count  the  columns  he  will  tind  that  June  is  the 
foggieist  of  months.  But  the  relief  and  consolation  is  that 
that  is  precisely  at  the  season  of  the  year  when  daylight  is 
the  longest,  so  that  even  here  there  is  compensation. 

Now  he  looks  at  the  fogs  for  the  lane  going,  and  he  is 


STKAM-LANES   ACIJO.SS   TIIK   ATLANTIf. 


1.') 


iji'atoi's  to 

II  I'iivor  ()  < 
(5  ami  till' 
iiortlun-ly 

as  to  tln' 
t,  1  have, 

able  corps 
bo  formed 

stract  lojis 

0  days,  on 
the  parts 

le  result  of 
ition,  on  u 
f;ontal  lines 
ted  as  one 
ruled  than 
P,  &o.,  are 
anes  pass, 
re  columns 
December, 
shes  to  see 
LUierlca  be- 
)u  the  plate 
inmediately 
is  curve,  in 
meaning  of 
from  these 
pre  to  pass 

1  the  month 
rgy  twenty- 
ler  cent,  of 
f  the  lane. 
s,  at  certain 
from  longi 
,)  and  when 
June  is  the 
ition  is  that 

daylight  is 
ition. 
;,  aiul  he  Is 


*•  struck  with  the  more  modest  flexures  of  the  (nirve,  and  par- 
ticularly with  the  fact  that  both  the  fog  curves  almost  in- 
variably come  down  to  the  zero  (0)  liiu>  near  the  meridians  ; 
in  other  words,  that  the  fogs  are  h'ss  prevalent  in  both 
lanes  during  the  autumn  and  winter,  when  there  is  least 
daylight. 

In  like  manner,  he  w  ishes  to  know  as  to  his  chances  for 
meeting  with  a  gale  of  wind  as  he  passes  along  in  the  lane 
to  Europe,  and  whether  these  gales  will  be  adverse  or  fair; 
in  other  words,  whether  they  will  have  easting  or  westing 
in  them.  Now,  he  sees,  under  the  head  of  "  Lane  to  En- 
roi>e,"'  (Date  V,)  by  the  curve  marked  ''fair  gales,"  that  the 
most  stormy  i)art  olong  this  line  is  between  the  meridians 
of  35"^  and  40^;  that  here,  in  January,  it  is  blowing  a  gale 
of  wind  half  the  time,  (rtfty-two  i>er  cent.,)  while  at  certain 
other  seasons  of  the  vear  gales  seldom  or  never  occur.  Jlut 
these  gales  all  have  westing  in  them, and  are  therefore  fair. 
The  preponderance  of  fair  gales  along  the  lane  to  Europe, 
viz,  all  gales  having  westing  in  them,  is  very  striking.  The 
vessel  will  be  running  with  these  gales,  and  therefore 
diminish  their  strength.  In  like  manner  the  gentle  dexures 
in  the  curve  marked  "head-gales"  denote  how  much  less 
fre<iuently  gales  with  easting  in  them  are  to  be  met  with  in 
the  regions  through  which  this  lane  passes.  Xow  he  will 
be  struck  with  another  remarkable  physical  fact  which  ex- 
perience has  proved  and  these  statistics  have  developed: 
that  fogs  and  gales,  in  certain  parts  of  the  lanes,  seldom 
come  together;  for  instance,  as  the  fog  curves  run  up,  the 
gale-curves,  both  for  coming  and  going,  come  down,  and 
rice  versa.  This  feature  is  very  striking  all  the  way  from 
the  meridian  of  '2~P  to  that  of  ChP.  These  curves  are  both 
suggestive  and  instructive.  Others  have  been  added  to 
show,  also,  the  i)er  cent,  of  calms,  rains,  and  thunder  and 
lightning  by  each  lane. 

That  you  may  judge  also  as  to  the  relative  fretjuency 
with  which  the  parts  of  the  ocean  in  which  these  two  lanes 
are  traversed  by  sailing-vessels,  I  have  projected  them  also 
on  series  A  of  the  Wind  aiul  Current  Charts. 

You  will  observe,  by  referring  to  this  series,  that  the 
part  in  which  the  lane  going  lies  is  very  much  frequented, 
but  it  is  frequented  mostly  by  vessels  going.  (See  also 
Plates  11  and  III.)  Those  that  are  coming  this  way — that 
is,  to  tht'west — seek,  for  the  most  part,  to  avoid  the  Gulf 


t 


M 


I 
1 


16  SIKAM-I.ANKS    ACKOSS   TIIK    ATLANTIC. 

Wtrciim,  I'ilhcr  l»y  j,'oiiij,'  to  the  noitli  or  l».v  tiikin/:'  wliat  is 
lulled  the  .southern  route,  v  hieli  is  very  common,  esp«'ehilly 
ill  winter;  so  that  steamers,  when  in  the  hine  ifuin*;'  to  Eu- 
rope, will  find  the  vessels  gener.ally  all  bound  the  same  way, 
and  likewise  in  the  lane  cominfj  to  America,  tin,'  vessels 
seen,  though  not  so  many,  will  lor  the  most  part  be  steering 
to  the  westward.  And  wlien  all  are  bound  the  same  way 
i-ollisions  are  rare. 

According  to  the  tables  given,*  the  best  routes  lor  sail- 
ing-vessels to  Kurope,  as  there  determined,  run  along,  for 
the  most  part,  south  of  the  line  going  nntil  you  reach  the 
meridian  of  45^,  between  which  and  40°  tliev  cross  this  lane 
ami  run  along  between  it  and  the  other.  These  are  the 
tiaeks  that  are  i)rqiected  on  Plates  11  and  IN. 

I  M'ill  close  this  report  with  a  recapitulation  as  to 
distances  and  courses  by  each  lane  between  New  York, 
ll.alifax,  and  IMiiladdidiia,  on  one  side,  and  Cape  Clear  and 
Seilly  Isles,  on  the  other,  lirst  begging  leave  to  say  that, 
according  to  my  computation,  founded  on  such  statistics  as 
I  have  touching  the  velocity  of  the  Gulf  Stream,  if  two 
steamers  bound  for  Cape  Clear,  and  of  exactly  equal  speed, 
were  to  start  from  Halifax  to  see  which  should  first  get  into 
the  great  circle  part  of  the  lane  to  Europe  from  New  York, 
and  if  one  were  to  go  straight  for  it  by  steering  east  and 
the  other  were  to  follow  the  European  lane  from  Halifax  as 
l>roJected  on  the  chart,  this  one  would  reach  the  point  of 
destination  quite  as  soon  as  the  other,  the  drift  of  the  Gulf 
Stream  compensating  for  the  greater  distance. 

DISTANCKS  TO  AMKKK'A. 

Hv  l.iuii.     Hv  (T.-iil  Cir.li'. 

From  Siilly  Isles  to  Ilulifax 'J,  r.l  1^,305 

From  S<ill.y  Isk's  to  Capos  of  Di'liiwaic 'J,  !)4t^  'J, 909 

Fioni  Stilly  Isles  to  Saurty  Hook 2,  8ti2  S,  H40 

From  Cape  Char  to  Halifax '2, 102  2, 170 

From  Cape  Clear  to  Capes  of  Delaware 2, 78!)  2, 705 

From  Capo  Clear  to  Sandy  Hook 2,  72:t  2,  695 

I'rom  Cape  Clear  to  Samly  Hook  by  aetiuil  average 2,  754 

This  statement  shows  that  by  the  lane  to  America  the 
distance  is  actually  shorter,  both  to  Sandy  Hook  and,  we 
may  infer  also,  to  the  Delaware,  than  the  average  distance 
by  present  route,  for  the  route  actually  pursued  by  the 
steamers  now,  both  to  Sandy  Hook  and  the  Delaware,  may 
be  considered  the  same  from  ( 'ape  Clear  or  the  Seilly  Isles 
as  far  west  as  longitude  70°. 

■  Maury's  Sailiii};  Dirt'ctious.  ftli  i'<l.,  vol.  '2,  pp.  '2i\  to  :{."),  hidiisive. 


t 
s 
t' 
t 


ti<:  what  is 

0  specially 

iii<>'  to  Eii- 

saiiie  way, 

tlu'  vessels 

he  steering 

same  way 

es  lor  sail- 
alonj;',  for 
I  reach  the 
ss  this  lane 
'se  are  the 

,ti(ni    as  to 

New  York, 

e  Clear  and 

o  say  that, 

statistics  as 

earn,  if  two 

pqual  speed, 

irst  get  into 

I  ^e\y  York, 

ug  east  and 

a  Halifax  as 

;hc  point  of 

of  the  Gulf 


:uii .     Il>  ( 

tf'Ht  Cir.-I*-. 

li.'ll 

a,  305 

04H 

a,  90!) 

(^i^i 

ii,  840 

IM 

2,170 

789 

•i,  n:> 

72:t 

2, 6<»r. 

2,  754 

A.merica  the 
ook  and,  we 
igo  distance 
sued  by  the 
laware,  may 
!  Scilly  Isles 

iri,  hu'lnsivp. 


-s 


STEAM-LANES   ACROSS   THE    ATLANTK".  17 

DISTAXCKS  HV  I.ANK  TO  ICriiOI'K. 

In  .••nlly  l»l»'H.       To  Ciipu  Clenr. 

From  lliilifnx   2,  4;)fi  2,  2H5 

l'"i()tii  ( 'api'M  (if  Dclawnro  I),  024  2,  H7;t 

I'idiii  Siiiiily  llodk 2,  iifO  2,  829 

"  l{»'sidestluv/(7oMrfrom  the  great  circle  whicli  a  vessel  from 
New  York,  Ilalifnx,  lioston,  or  IMiila(leli)liia  would  nec«'ssa- 
rily  make  by  foll()wing  the  ICiiropeau  lane  t()  (Jape  ('lear,  it 
would  re(iuirean^f^W///o«f(/^/r7ojo'of  only  15  miles  for  vessels 
bound  into  the  English  Channel  to  use  it  also  as  far  as  Cape 
Clear.     This  lane,  therelbre,  \viil,in  conse(|ueiu;eof  the  favor- 
able currentsof  the  (lUlf  Stream,  put  a  vessel  into  Southamp- 
ton (piiteassuon  as  she  could  reach  that  port  tVom  New  York 
or  IMiiliidelphia  by  the  great  (!ir(!le  route.    Yessels  from  Hali- 
fax will  hav(!  to  make  the  gieatest  drtour  of  any  by  ado]>ting 
the  lane  to  Kiuopc^;  but  for  them  it  is  less  than  100  miles  out  of 
theirwayas  they  nowgo,  and  it  will  prolong  their  average  pas- 
sage eastward  jjcrhaps  two  ov  three  houis.     I  say  pcrhtps,  be- 
cause I  am  not  sure  hut  that  tiie  steamers  from  Ilalitax  and 
New  England  are  set  back  by  thecold  current  20oi'.'{0  miles  on 
the  route  now  used  for  tiu' eastern  passage.    The  (lulf  Stream, 
even  from  where  they  will  join  it  by  this  lane,  will  set  them 
forward,  on  an  average,  40  or  aO  miles  at  the  least.     It  seems, 
therelbre,  that  the  attractions  of  this  lane  as  it  regards  safety 
should  more  than  outweigh  the  prolmhic  loss  of  an  hour  or 
two  during  the  passage.     When   1  speak  of  distances  by 
the  lanes,  it  should  be  recollected  that  the  middle  of  the 
lane  is  njcant,  as  per  following  table  of  courses  aiul  distan<H\s : 

r.ANK  TO  AMKiaCA.' 

Cimrsi".  Dislaiu'i', 

Friiiii  Scilly  Isles  tn  Cape  Clciii',  W'.Xi    7  X.         I.'i'.i  iiiilis. 

('ill)i' Clr.ir  Ic)  lilt.  51   2:i,    liilijr.    15     'I  I    55  187 

lat.  5l  2:t,     lolifi'.       15     0  to  lat.  51    Hi,    li)rii.;.   2i)     1)  2   17  S.  Is7 

51    Iti  viO     0  50  5(1  25     (I  fi     5  1-0 

50  50  25     0  50  2:i  IIO     d  II  5(1  l!i:i 

50  2:t  :io    0  4!t  :it;  :!5    o  i;t  ii  iii'.i 

40  :»>  :i5    (I  -xf  x\  in    n  n  i5  w, 

4r?  :n  40  0                 47  15  45  0  21     8  210 

47    15  15  1)                  45  :i8  50  0  25    Id  228 

45  :i8  50  n                 45     0  51  45  27    i:i  Kt 

(rt)  45  on  51  45                 44   10  55  0  l!l  45  TH 

44   10  55  0                 42  40  (10  (I  22  27  2:t6 

42  40  (iO  0                 41  42  05  (»  14  :(4  2:tl 

41  42  (15  0  40  no  70  II  17  45  2:ii: 
40  :iO  70  0  to  Sandy  Hook,  0  4:1  Ifil 
40  :iO  7(1  0  to  ('ai)cs  of  Dchnvarc,  22    8  240 

(a)  45    0  51   45  to  Ilalllax,  ;t  5:i  5li:t 

*  Th(»  courses  and  distances  aie  for  tlu^  middle  of  tlie  lane. 

No.    40— L> 


i 


18 


STKAM-LANHS   ACKOSS    IIIK   ATLANTIC. 


Iw\NK  TO  KlKOl'K.' 


l''n.lii  Ciil''^  "•'  I'ilii«:i'r  to  lilt.  :!!•     Ill',  IdliK.  "0    (I' 

Siiiiil.N  IliM.K  In  Int.  ii'.t  Id,  Inn;:.  •(!    n 

lolljf. 


lilt,  :i»  II),    lo 

'«.    *" 

II  III 

lit.  Ill  :ii 

40  41 

li.". 

II 

1 1    '.1 

41  Oil 

fill 

II 

11  :i:< 

41  :<:< 

:,:> 

0 

11    .Yl 

((»)  II  .'.:i 

fit) 

0 

4:1  :..-. 

i:t  .-..-1 

45 

0 

i.'i  in 

45  4U 

40 

0 

■17    IH 

47  18 

35 

0 

1-  :i-,' 

48  33 

:io 

0 

l!i  :iii 

411  30 

8r> 

0 

.Ml   II 

:<o  M 

ao 

0 

.Ml    l."> 

."lO    l,"i 

1,'. 

I)  In  ( 

lipi-  Clcn 

Cnlll'ti'. 

DJHtniicc 

' 

K.  Ill  4li  N. 

■.>:ui  iiiili'H 

14  20  S. 

i!ia 

(i.-i  0 

\>  Jl  N. 

y;n 

til)  II 

!) :;'.) 

Qa7 

.'p.'i  1) 

ti   .-. 

a-j.'. 

.'.()  II 

4  ,-.7 

•J3a 

4:.  0 

•J!)    0 

a.-)! 

40  0 

tJ7  iic 

S41 

■A'>  0 

'.'4     1 

22(1 

III)  II 

','()  lis 

213 

•.'.-)  1) 

It)  -Jl 

ami 

*)  0 

\-i  411 

I'.HI 

1.-.  II 

!)  n 

loa 

4  34 

IH0 

•J7  :i!t  .s. 

i.-.i 

■JO    7 

103 

(I' 

l.".  17 

181 

0' 

!l  -iH 

■:■::< 

(/"niic  Clrar  lo  Siilly  Islrs, 

('»!  Iliililiix  lo  hit.  i:t    :i(l'.  lonu.  «'.)    II' 

\!\t.  1:1 '  :iii',  lotiL'.  lid  II'  to  liii.  i-j  :!()'.  lotii;. : 

lilt,  l-J    :t(l'.  Ion;;,  :>:< '  II'  to  l;it.  II     .'':i'.  loiiK.  •"'"    0' 

TliuH  it  ii|)i)('iir.s  (liiit  one  lane  will  ])nicticiilly  shorten 
tlic  (li.staniM'  from  Cnpc  (Mciir  to  SaiHly  Hook  ami  tlie  Dcla- 
wan'  by  .")(»  miles,  wliile  the  other  prolonj^s  the  distaiiee 
fioin}»'  to  lOurojie  ~~t  mih's,  wliieli  inoloii^icd  ilistaiiee,  when 
measured  not  by  siifety,  but  In  iime  alone,  tin'  (liilf  Stream, 
better  w«'atlier,  and  diminished  I'retiueiiey  of  foys  will  more 
than  compensate  for.  In  my  Jiid.nimMit,  these  liines,  if 
l»roperly  followed,  will  make  the  iiveiiiji'e  leniilh  of  ]nissa<;e, 
as  determined  by  the  mean  of  all  for  the  yeiir,  probiibly  less 
each  way,  certainly  not  more  than  an  hour  or  two  Ionj,^er 
than  it  now  is.  Individual  passaj^cs  coininji'  will,  iierhaps, 
not  be  niiide  so  ([uickly  as  tliey  hav«'  been,  but,  on  the  nver- 
ajje,  trips  will  be  Shortened. 

For  ii  better  understanding  ol  the  whole  subject,  I  be<i' 
to  refer  to  Plates  II,  III,  iiiid  V. 

The  increasinji;  number  of  steamers  tends  still  further  to 
prove  the  impiu'tance  of  the.se  lanes  upon  the  commercial 
interests  of  the  world.  The  merchant-steamers  plyiny  be- 
tween Europe  and  the  United  States  diirinji'  tlu^  year  1S,"»7 
made  no  less  than  .'!7 4  jtiissau'cs.  This  is  ex(;lusive  of  man- 
of-war  steamers.  There  was,  thertifore,  on  an  iivera^c,  no 
less  tlian  14  steamers  in  transit  on  the  hi<;h  seas  <luriii;;'  the 
whole  year,  which  would  juive  7  for  each  lane  all  the  time. 
These  steamers  tiiinsported,  besid(>s  their  own  crews,  .')4,7(H> 
persons  as  i)assenj;'ers,  which  is  more,  by  -!4,a(M),  than  were 


# 


The  coiirsi'ti  ami  (ii.staiu'i's  iirc  tor  tlip  inuldlc  of  tlu'  liiiii'. 


STKAM-LANKH  ArUOSS  THE   ATLANTIC!. 


10 


I»i«tamf. 
•ZW  iiiilfH. 
I'.i-J 

'i'ii 

34 1 

22(i 
•Jl-J 

'jiii; 
111',) 

n;;i 

IHI 

short  on 
I  lie  Dcla- 
(listaiifo 
('(',  wlicn 
■  St  renin, 
^vill  more 
liuic's,   if 

l»llSSil«>0, 

)iil>ly  loss 

•()  lon^or 

jiorliiips, 

tlio  iivor- 

ot,  I   J»og 

lutlior  to 
iMiiioroial 
Iviiij^'  Ito- 
^oar  isr>7 
»  of  nian- 
oraji'o,  no 
iirin<4'  tlio 
tlio  time. 
vs,  r)4,7<)(> 
lian  wore 


traiisportod  by  stoaiu  dnriii};'  tlio  yoar  ISac;.  One  of  fhcso 
stoaniors,  (sorow.)  tlio  Tcmpost,  sailod  from  Now  York  for 
(ilas^-'ow  ill  l''oltriiary,  l.s."i7,  and  was  novor  hoard  of.  Now, 
if  tlu'so  Janos  had  boon  nsod  by  all  of  tlioin,  she  oonld  not— 
wliatovor  it  was  that  oaiisod  lior  loss — have  sn^vixod  lior 
injury  moro  than  4S  hours  without  boiiij;'  passod  by  sonio 
othor  sloainor. 

Sorow-stoaniors  are  rapidly  on  the  increase.  They  «lo  not 
^  niako  as  imieh  noise  with  the  iiropollors  as  the  side-wheel 
steamers  do  with  their  i)addlos;  <!()nse(iuently,  in  tliiok 
woatlior,  tlioy  do  not  yivt;  as  mu(rh  warnin;;-  of  their  approach 
as  tlm  others  with  tlieir  paddles.  In  this  eiroumstanee  I 
tind  another  ])loa  in  favor  of  the  lanes. 

'i'hree  years  ha\o  now  (1S">S)  passed  since  these  lanes 
were  jtrojeotod.  Tlu'  siiadows  east  bj  tho  lij;Iits  of  expori- 
eiiee  from  them  are  before  ns.  Wrecks  and  (U)llisions  at 
sea  have  jiioiitly  increased,  especially  about  tlu^  JJritish 
Islands.  The  crowded  state  of  tho  sea  renders  \]w,  rocoj;ni- 
tioii  and  use  of  those  lanes  a  matter  of  more  and  more  im- 
portance every  yoar. 

The  foll()wiii,i;'  summary  of  wrecks  and  collisions  oufj^ht  to 
plead,  trumpot-tonj^ued,  in  favor  of  our  lanes.  It  is 
derived  from  the  i)ublic  statements  made  by  a  humane 
society  in  ICnjiland,  and  is  copied  from  the  wreck-register 
of  tho  Lifeboat. 


V.ar. 


Wn.'di.s.    1  CiiUision.s.        T(jtiil. 


1. «.->:{. 

18.")  I. 

lf.".tJ. 


958 
759 
893 
d94 

8:n 


7;j 

217 

;iu; 


1,015 

987 
1,  1-11 

1.  i:i3 


Tiilal  Ihfs 
lost. 

829 
989 
I,.-.  19 
4(i9 
.V21 


Total 


4,341 


7k7 


■),  l-iS    I 


4,348 


Tims  we  lind  that  no  less  than  li'JO  ships  were  totally  lost 
or  stranded  in  IS,")*!  from  errors,  unseainanship,  or  drunkon- 
no.s.s,  or  other  i»reventable  causes,  in  addition  to  those  from 
stress  of  weather. 


li ' 


<* 


i| 


t  ■ 


n 


I 


/'/,//,•  // 


Mm 

i 


^  ^  ^-  '•"  "•  -"  ., 


I    .  i .  • ,, 


-  ^''  ' 


■?>.. 


•/    •   . 


^'^K^m^ 


ri4itc-M 


\ 

■f1 


S% 


'0 


..} 


w5il^'*^^''''^«(W**'  -K»«;^  ..,y».i 


M*»SM^.t4»*< 


1^^ 


:»,..      -x 


»j'"- 


..^r--- 


«;' 


.■f 


Plate    III. 


P.MfCltZland.  Se. 


i 


^^ 


i;.\/.t:s  AMI  tnt;s    If.oMi  THK  vr/'M/ /HV/.V 


]  A  N  K 

TO 

AMKHITA 


y.  rr/h:  sta'a.*/ i.ixf.s  .ir/,/  ss  ////.  iji..\\m 


/'/„{,  V 


.^k\^^^mm^k^^^^^^^h^^^mh}x^^i^^^ 


It'Vf.t/  i.  fhi 


HetiHo'iOi'M 

I'OJfS^ 

A'lti/i.s 


h'irif  (,'iiJiiN 

'■     7'/i///tt/i '   V  /./f/i/.ui/it/ 
(\ilnt.\ 

l..\SI 

t.  rmii'h 


'nu/zii/ff  ,\:  /.ti/ZiUiutf/ 
7i7//i/.v  ~  "  ~ 


/t^Vy^c  f4(  no. 


